Bernie scooped the food
into the blue bowl. It was Tammy’s favorite, yellowfin tuna and
shrimp with wild rice in gravy. Bernie didn’t like to spoil the
girl, and usually only gave her her favorite once a week, but this
would be the third day in a row he served it for her. It was a
special occasion of sorts, a get-well-soon treat for Tammy. A couple
days before she had come in from playing outside, and she was limping
quite severely. Upon inspection Bernie had found a small wound on her
right front leg--it looked like it might be a small bite, but he
wasn’t sure.

His first thought was
to take her to the vet, but one look in the money envelope he kept
hidden behind the dresser beside his bed had put that idea out of his
head. He was broke, even broker than usual, and there was no money
for a vet visit. Instead he rubbed some of the blue salve that Gertie
Crabb had given him long ago, swearing that it could cure just about
any type of ailment. He had never gotten around to using it, and
Gertie Crabb had passed some time ago, gone to that great bingo hall
in the sky. He spread the thick ointment on the wound (which didn’t
look that bad he decided, no real need for a vet), and wrapped a
strip of cloth around Tammy’s leg. The next day, when he took off
the cloth, the wound was almost completely healed, and Bernie gave
silent thanks to Gertie for her mystery miracle salve.